Families cope with the loss of loved ones during the holidays

Published 6:00 pm, Saturday, November 29, 2003

Vidar Steinsbo describes his wife of 22 years as generous, friendly and loving. He admits there were problems between the two for several months before her death, but he still has fond memories of their life together.

"There were many joyful and happy years. We shared a lot of good times together," he said.

JoAnna Alvarez Steinsbo was murdered Sept. 23 in her Pasadena home at 2427 Shenendoah Dr. She was no longer living with her husband, but rather taking a new direction in life. JoAnna rented a large two-bedroom home in the respectable Mount Vernon neighborhood and was single-handedly running a South Houston night club, CoCo Bongo.

By HEATHER L. NICHOLSON

There were disagreements about her being involved in the night club business, so a few years ago she chose to live by herself and tend to her business without my negative feedback," Vidar Steinsbo said. "She had almost no contact with the family after she moved there."

Police discovered JoAnna when her boyfriend found her lying in the bedroom with multiple gun shot and stab wounds. Investigators also found money and personal items were stolen from the home, but no forced entry was made.

Vidar Steinsbo said he suspects one of JoAnna's new friends from the night club was not so friendly.

Police have not arrested any suspects in JoAnna's three-month-old murder case, but have yet to deem it as "cold." Her family feels like closure will come in due time.

"If the police and the investigators do their job right, then there is a very good chance the murderer will get caught and removed from society. It is just a matter of time," Vidar Steinsbo said.

JoAnna's friends said she often acted as a confidant and a shoulder to lean on. With this year's holiday being the first without JoAnna, family and friends said all they can do "is keep praying for her, and praying for justice."

The Steinsbo's holiday turmoil is a familiar situation for other victims of crimes, and no new feat for Marvin and Connie Dunnam of Beaumont. The couple lost their daughter, Lori, of Pasadena in 1999 when her husband kidnapped and murdered her.

Marvin Dunnam said his daughter was patriotic and a dedicated mother. Lori's two children, now 11 and 12 years old, have been living with their grandparents ever since their mother's death and their father fled to Mexico.

"We knew all along there was a problem (between the couple) and we thought it was over when she divorced him," Marvin Dunnam said. "He just would not allow her to go on and live her life."

Lori's was found shot to death in Wharton County several days after family and friends reported her missing from her Pasadena home at 4116 Citation Dr. The entire incident occurred only weeks before Thanksgiving.

"She insisted (her husband) exercise his parental rights and visit the children. By her desire to see that happen, it kept her in closer contact with him than she should have been," Marvin Dunnam said. "He would threaten her and do a lot of things we didn't realize were going on until it was too late."